100 Days Off the Job
by Vivalahomestar
Summary: Fanfic 100 Challenge: 100 one-shots surrounding how Mario and the gang spend their time between adventures. From simple morning routines to the most epic of kart races, there's always a story to be told, a character's mind to explore, and something new to learn about the infinitely unpredictable world they inhabit.
1. And Introduction to the Challenge

Hello one and all! My name is Vivalahomestar and I'm about to attempt a Fanfic 100 challenge. This will be a collection of 100 one-shots that are each a minimum of 1,000 words. The theme will be what happens between all the grand adventures in the Mario series, so no one-shot is allowed to take place during an adventure (though they are allowed to take place directly before or after one). This means that Mario Kart, Mario Party, Mario Tennis, etc. are fair game. These stories will not form a cohesive plot, but are allowed to have continuity callbacks to each other. Please note that these are not any official rules or prompts, just ones I have set for myself.

Now then, here are the prompts:

1. Beginnings

2. Nerds

3. Cake

4. Bread

5. White

6. Blue

7. Years

8. Rivalry

9. Friendship

10. Relationship

11. Battleship

12. Red

13. Yellow

14. Green

15. Purple

16. Black

17. Disadvantage

18. Gifted

19. Equal

20. Strangers

21. Nightlife

22. Hearts

23. Minds

24. Inside

25. Outside

26. Geography

27. Minute

28. Romance

29. Hatred

30. Apathy

31. Fall

32. Winter

33. Spring

34. Summer

35. Noon

36. Nationality

37. Space

38. Kings

39. Princesses

40. Princes

41. Servants

42. Soldiers

43. Heroes

44. Anti-Heroes

45. Truth

46. Lies

47. Ambiguity

48. Saboteur

49. Trust

50. Middles

51. Pink

52. Orange

53. Glee

54. Depression

55. Calm

56. Rage

57. Competition

58. Victory

59. Beef

60. Stars

61. Advice

62. Dates

63. Speed

64. Impatience

65. Music

66. Jumping

67. Wind

68. Age

69. Trapped

70. Freedom

71. Patriotism

72. Pain

73. Effort

74. Water

75. Ocean

76. Who

77. What

78. When

79. Where

80. Why

81. How

82. The Fourth Wall

83. Regular

84. Breakfast

85. Lunch

86. Dinner

87. Dessert

88. Desert

89. Greed

90. Shopping

91. Jumping the Shark

92. Nostalgia

93. If

94. FURY

95. Death

96. Moon

97. Broken

98. Return

99. Fame

100. Endings


	2. Beginnings

**#1: Beginnings**

Bowser awoke with a headache. This was the usual way his days began. He pressed a claw lightly against his temple, feeling his head pound. He reached over to his bedside table to grab the aspirin tablets his minions always left him in the morning. Unfortunately for him, he felt only the cold, rough wood beneath his hands. He sighed. This sigh was a genuine sigh, not a growl or groan, but a real sigh, the kind of act he would never let himself commit and yet here he was, sighing. He was beginning to think he was going soft.

"Yo, minions!" Bowser roared, immediately regretting the decision to shout as his brain pounded painfully. "Where's my pills?" he grunted, quieter this time.

A magikoopa he didn't recognize quickly scurried in with two pills and a glass of water. He recalled that the young wizard in golden robes had just started working there, explaining the missing pills. He couldn't remember their name though. It was something like Jeffrey, or Frank, or Mary. Stars, he hoped it wasn't Mary. That sounded way to much like a certain plumber. He didn't particularly want to think of Mario that morning. Thinking of Mario made him furious and if the rage started, the headache would only have just begun.

After threatening Jeff/Frank/Mary-o with burnination if they forgot his pills again, Bowser was left alone to gulp down the water and pills, grunting with the satisfaction that he would soon find relief from the headache. He slipped out of bed and snagged his robe from the coat rack on the wall. He had only recently begun to wear a robe and in all honesty, he thought it made him look even more badass. This was made evident as it began to flutter in the wind as he walked down the open-air hallway. It wasn't actually supposed to be open-air, Mario had just trashed it and his minions had just begun to repair it.

It wasn't until he reached the throne room that Bowser's headache began to go away. This was fortunate for the advisors who began to approach him. Bowser hadn't used to have advisors, but the thought started to cross his mind once his kingdom began to turn into a complete wreck.

A shivering goomba with a grey moustache slowly approached him. "Hello, your slightly-less richness," the advisor said, bowing to his feet.

"Slightly less rich?" Bowser said confusedly. "Minion, I don't think you understand how to complement a king properly. Next time, try 'your awesomeness,'" he ordered, his look both threatening and condescending. The goomba was beginning to regret taking this position.

"Well, your awesomeness," replied the advisor, straining to make the complement sound as grateful as possible. "It seems that Darklandian stocks have begun to fall," he said nervously.

"Bah!" growled Bowser, slamming his fist on the arm of his throne. "What'd you do wrong?"

The advisor was now trembling violently out of nervousness due to what he was about to say. "Well, Lord Bowser, you overrode my decision and I think your plan may have been responsible for the decline." He looked up at Bowser, expecting to be fried.

Bowser thought for a moment, making a fake thoughtful face. "Well didn't I hire you to fix the economy? Why didn't you correct me?" he suddenly shouted, making the advisor jump back with fright.

"W-well, sir, y-you threated to b-burn me after the f-first time I corrected you."

Bowser inspected his claws, appearing to be uninterested. "Oh right, yeah, I think I remember that," he grunted. "Whatever, go fix the economy with your magic money powers or whatever," he said, waving a hand to dismiss the advisor. He gratefully scurried off.

A blue-shelled koopa was the next to approach Bowser. He gave the king a big thumbs-up. "Hey, B-man!" he said jazzily.

Bowser rolled his eyes. "France," he greeted.

"Francisco," corrected the koopa.

"Whatever," replied Bowser, shrugging. "What news do you have for me?"

"Well, looks like Toad Town's got a whole new line of anti-you propaganda tearing up the streets," said Francisco, frowning. "So I gots an idea: a King B. action movie!"

Bowser furrowed his brow in confusion. "You know, that sounds awesome, but I don't see how that's going to help."

"Well here's the thing," explained Francisco, holding out his hands. "While us and the Mushroom Kingdom are different, there's one thing I know we have in common: a love for action movies," he brought his hands together.

Bowser placed his hands together and thought for a moment. An action movie that not only glorifies him, but helps relations with the Mushroom Kingdom? He was beginning to love this idea. "I'm listening."

Francisco grinned widely. "So what I'm thinking is we make an action movie, starring our best, handsomest actor, someone like Bronson Troopa, and portray you as a rugged, charming hero who just wants to get the girl and look awesome doing it!"

Bowser frowned. "Portray me?" he said, starting to become a bit angry. "I _am_ rugged and charming!" he roared.

Francisco remained unfazed. "Yeah, but those little Toads don't get that," he explained. "So we'll make sure we especially appeal to them."

Bowser mulled over the idea for a moment. "Yeah, go for it," he finally decided. "Begin production by the end of the month."

Francisco grinned even wider. "Of course, King B!" With that, he scurried off.

His last advisor slowly made his way to Bowser's throne. "Kamek," Bowser said simply.

"Good morning to you, Lord Bowser!" Kamek said cheerily. "Sir, you know, I always begin the day with a good ol' cup of joe, I suggest you try it, your grogginess!"

Bowser glared at his most trusted advisor. "Cut the chit-chat, old man," he ordered. Kamek sighed and hunched over. "You know I hate that coffee crap anyways, too cold. Tell me the news."

Kamek suddenly broke out into a large grin. "Oh Lord Bowser, you will be most pleased with what I have found!"

Bowser admired himself in the reflection on Kamek's glasses. "I better be. Tell me!" he demanded.

Kamek shook his head. "Sir, you must learn to be patient!" Bowser's warning glare got him going though. "Our spies have told us that Peach is planning a big festival at the end of the month. Like all of her festivals, decorations will be over the top, but security will be sparse, I suggest that you strike then!"

Upon hearing the information, Bowser began to grin. "Kamek, you never fail me! Well, you do, but less than the other idiots around here!" His morning of headaches and advisors would soon come to an end and his newest plan for kidnapping Princess Peach would soon begin.


End file.
